Photo Challenges

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Keeping warm in Pingyao

Ok, I apologise, this is not technically a great picture, but I think it captures this week’s photo challenge theme ‘warmth‘ well enough to share it.  It was taken on our trip to China whilst we were staying in the ancient city of Pingyao.  We were there for Chinese New Year, which was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life – wonderfully chaotic!

It was bitterly cold, the coldest I have ever been, but the gorgeous old courtyards in our beautiful hotel each had their own charcoal brick fires (like the one pictured), and you can also see the doors to our rooms covered with blue duvets to keep the drafts out. The fire and the lanterns gave it all a magical glow.  It was still too bloomin’ cold to stand out there for long though!

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Varanasi Ochre

Posted as part of the weekly photo challenge – this weeks theme ‘Yellow’

This photograph was taken during our trip to Northern India last year. It was about 4:30 in the morning on one of the ghats lining the banks of the Ganges.  We were waiting to board a little boat so that we could view the amazing sunrise from the river.  However, there was a very heavy mist which made everything soft and unfocused, it also had the effect of washing out all colour and making the small scene under the lights appear in this delicious yellow ochre glaze.

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A Triumphant Wrap Up

Final of the Photo 101 challenge – to wrap up… 

I failed. I failed at Triumph. I’ve managed to post a photo every other day of this challenge, but on Friday I was out having fun. Sorry.

Anyhoo.. as you know, Friday’s theme was ‘Triumph’, something I don’t seem to have experienced an awful lot of (unless you count getting out of bed every day, which is for me, something of a battle on these damp and dark mornings), so I didn’t have any pictures to dig up quickly that might have served the purpose.

I did go on a carousel on Saturday, my  horse won (of course), but not everyone noticed that since we were going round and round an’ all.  We were in Cardiff (I was visiting my amazing daughter and her lovely partner) and there was a Wales vs South Africa rugby match on, if we’d have hung around long enough and braved the crowds, I guess there might have been lots of rowdy, happy, Welsh people to photograph.  But we didn’t. So I failed at the last hurdle. hmmph.

Over the weekend it was suggested we do a ‘wrap up’ of our photo 101 experience, and I have to say that this almost fulfills the Triumph brief anyway.  I feel pretty pleased with myself that I’ve managed to keep up, and that, overall, I’ve been quite chuffed with the photo’s that I’ve posted. I’ve learnt tons of new stuff about my camera and it’s multitudinous, previously baffling, buttons and settings, and I’ve found lots of new techniques to twiddle and tweak my snaps post production. Overall, I’m feeling, well, quite triumphant.

Although I am actually really sad that the whole thing is over, and hope there are new challenges coming my way soon. I shall miss getting the email with the challenge and thinking ‘what the *****’!!’ every day, before I knuckle down and get my thinking cap on, get the camera out and find something, anything, that will do, or spend hours searching through long-forgotten holiday photos to find the one that I know I’ve got that’s just perfect, but can’t remember where the heck it’s filed.

I’ll also, very much, miss seeing everybody else’s wonderful interpretations, and getting their comments and feedback.  It’s been great!

Soooo… ’til the next time, here’s a mosiac (yes, I’ve learned to do mosaic’s too) of some of the photos from the daily challenges.

See you soon!

The London Eye
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Double Trouble

Part of the Photo 101 challenge – Today’s theme ‘Double’

Oh now come on, you didn’t really think I’d waste this opportunity to share a picture of my girls when they were small did you? Lots and lots of old photos to choose from, but this one always makes me smile! I think they were about two when this was taken. I don’t think their clothes stayed this clean and tidy for long!

I have had to clean it up quite a bit (there are piles of toys on the floor in the original!), so practicing my skills in that way instead today.

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The Singing Edge

Taken as part of the Photo 101 challenge – today’s theme ‘Edge’

These are images of my lovely Tibetan Singing Bowl.  It’s one of my favourite things and I use it often. I believe it to be quite old, and the edges have been worn smooth by repeated use.  Singing bowls are used widely, particularly as part of Buddhist practice, as a meditation tool, and it is said that each is individual and should be chosen to compliment your own inner harmonics (or does it choose you?). Rubbing the mallet in a circular motion around the edge, will normally produce at least two different notes.  Mine has a sweet high topnote, and a fairly deep base.  I did try to take a recording of it for you, but it really didn’t do it justice, so in case you haven’t come across them before, I’ve added a video below to give you an idea.

And a video on how to play:

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Light and glass

Taken as part of the Photo 101 challenge – today’s theme ‘Glass’.

I’ve used today’s theme as an opportunity to play with camera settings and light.  I was quite pleased with some of the abstract effects I achieved, especially by cropping right down and flipping on to its side.  I think it gives a nice stained glass window look.  What do you think?

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Treasure fingers

Taken as part of the photo 101 challenge – Today’s theme ‘Treasure’

You must have realised by now that I’m a sentimental old fool, so today I’ve been on a steep learning curve trying to take a timed portrait of my own treasures – That is, my wedding ring, and my grandmother’s engagement ring, both of which I wear everyday.

My nan’s engagement ring must be over 100 years old by now and I have worn it on the ring finger of my right hand since her death in 1973.  I have not taken my wedding ring off since my marriage nearly 29 years ago. Together, they represent the real treasure which is my family.

When I started, I had no idea how difficult it would be to capture a decent shot of the rings. I didn’t realise quite how creepy my hands would look in close up, or how sausagy my fingers would appear. They’re not good models it seems, either posing all stiffly corpse-like, looking all wrinkly and mottled, or moving involuntarily just as the shutter went.  eeewww….and the veins….! Anyhoo…thank goodness today it’s all about the rings.

By the way, I should mention I have some other gorgeous rings bought for me by my husband over the years (don’t want you to think he’s a cheapskate), that I also wear everyday. But those don’t hold quite the same sentimental value as these two. They may not be worth as much, but to me they are priceless.

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Well I couldn’t find a swarm…

Taken as part of the Photo 101 challenge – today’s theme ‘swarm’

A picture of the rarely observed swarming habit of the ‘electrical stuff that no-one remembers which bit of gubbins its for‘. These creatures are found making their nests in many homes, usually in boxes that have been left to gather dust in corners or roof spaces. Although, initially they live separate, ordered lives, when placed in close proximity they swarm and party. This ritual entwining leads to copious breeding. Any attempt to separate them once they have mated is futile.

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Catching a moment

Taken as part of the Photo 101 challenge – today’s theme ‘An everyday moment with movement’

This is Suki catching her favourite toy.  Every single day, come rain or shine, I have to throw it umpteen times for her to chase and fetch.  She never, ever, tires of it, though I often do.  Nevertheless, it is always a pick me up to see her galloping and leaping for the sheer and simple joy of play.

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